Dual Degrees

Master of Public Administration (MPA) / Juris Doctor (JD)

The dual degree program in law and public administration allows students to pursue
a Juris Doctor and Master of Public Administration.

Careers

Individuals graduating with a MPA/JD can work as:

Administrators in government and not-for-profit agencies

City attorneys

Court administrators

Legal counsel for government agencies

Private practice

How to apply

Students must apply and be accepted to both the MPA and JD programs. Please consult
the
WVU College of Law
for their application process. To apply for the MPA program, applicants must
submit:

✓ Graduate application

✓ Transcripts

✓ LSAT or GRE scores

✓ Letter of intent

✓ Resume

✓ Two recommendation letters

Degree requirements

To complete the MPA/JD, students must complete 33 hours in the public administration
program and 85 hours in the College of Law. The College of Law requires students
to complete both programs to receive the six hours of credit toward the JD. The
Department of Public Administration may accept up to 12 credit hours of law school
courses whether or not the student completes the JD curriculum.

For more information about the MPA/JD program, contact
Maja Holmes in the Department of Public Administration and
Jamie VanNostrand
in the College of Law.

Master of Public Administration (MPA) / Master of Social Work (MSW)

The MSW/MPA dual degree program combines public administration and social work to
prepare individuals to work in social service administration with federal, state
and local government agencies and non-profit organizations. Both the MPA and MSW
are nationally accredited degree programs. The MSW curriculum prepares students
for direct practice with the knowledge and skills to provide services to individuals,
families and small treatment groups. It also prepares students to provide leadership
to communities in the development, administration and support service programs.

How to apply

Students must apply and be accepted to both the MPA and MSW programs.
Please consult the
School of Social Work
for the MSW application process. To apply to the MPA program,
applicants must submit:

✓ Graduate application

✓ LSAT or GRE scores

✓ Letter of intent

✓ Resume

✓ Transcript

✓ Two recommendation letters

Degree requirements

MPA/MSW students with advanced standing in social work take 69 credit hours for the
MSW and MPA degrees. Those with regular standing in social work take 82 credit
hours. Elective requirements for each program are met by counting coursework taken
in the other program. If a student is enrolled full-time students are expected
to complete the MPA/MSW dual degree in 36 months.

The MPA and MSW degree programs require students to complete a public service internship
and an advanced field placement, respectively. However, students enrolled in the
MPA/MSW dual degree are required to complete only one internship/field placement
to meet both degree requirements.

MPA/MSW students should consult with the MSW field placement coordinator to identify
appropriate placement MSW sites and confirm with the MPA internship coordinator
that the advanced field placement meets the student learning outcomes for PUBA
751: Public Service Internship.

MPA/MSW COSA Track and MPA/MSW Advanced Standing COSA track: MPA/MSW students enroll in 6 credit hours of MSW 682 Advanced Field Placement and complete the full PUBA 751: Public Service Internship course requirements, including internship proposal, mid-term report, timesheets, and poster presentation. Students must complete 600 contact hours for MSW 682. In lieu of the PUBA 751 course, students must complete 6 credit hours of MPA-approved electives as a replacement.

MPA/MSW Direct Practice and MPA/MSW Advance Standing Direct Practice: Students can request to waive 3 credit hours of PUBA 751 Public Service Internship. If the waiver is approved, MPA/MSW students must enroll in 6 credit hours of MSW 682 Advanced Field Placement and 3 credit hours of PUBA 751: Public Service Internship. Students must complete PUBA 751 course requirements, including internship proposal, mid-term report, timesheets, and poster presentation. Students must complete 800 contact hours for the combined MSW 682 and PUBA 751 Advanced Field Placement/Public Service Internship. In lieu of the waiving 3 credit hours of PUBA 751 course, students must complete 3 credit hours of MPA-approved electives as a replacement.

For more information on the MPA/MSW program contact Maja Holmes in the Department of Public Administration program and Pat Chase in the School of Social Work.

Individually designed dual degrees

Students may pursue an individually designed dual degree that combines the MPA with
another graduate degree. This allows students to complete complementary degrees
by applying some courses to both degrees. Generally, students apply 12 credit hours
of courses from the other degree program to the MPA electives requirement. The
other degree program may accept some public administration courses to meet their
program requirements.

Individually designed dual degree programs are approved on a case-by-case basis.
Students should consult their academic advisors in the MPA and other degree program
to review respective program and graduate school requirements. Students must prepare
and submit for approval a formal program of study for the dual degree.

MPA students have pursued individually designed dual degrees with the following departments: